Building



F. E. ZRMACK Dec. 5, 1961 BUILDING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 9, 1957 M Z I p P ATTORNEY Dec. 5, 1961 F. E. ZRMACK 3,011,599

BUILDING Filed May 9, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l3 LIE C Q n 5', 5 I d INVENTOR Jaw/mu ATTORNEY 3,011,599 BUILDING Fred E. Zrmack, Ann Arbor, Mich, assignor to Schoolmaher, Incorporated, Ann Arbor, Mich.,a corporation of Michigan Filed May 9, 1957, Ser. No. 658,138 1 Claim. (Cl. 189-34) The invention relates to building structures and particularly to improvements in joints, connections and seals used with steel framed, curtain-wall type structures.

The steel frame, curtain-wall type structure has come into widespread use in recent years due to the ease of construction, modern appearance, high strength and economical utilization of building materials. In a low cost structure of the above type it is desirable to afiix the panels, window frames and other components of the structure to t e steel supporting columns in a simple, strong, effective manner without distracting rom the clean and simple lines of the structure and it is thus an object of the invention to provide an improved type of supporting means for use with steel frame building structures wherein the components of the structure may be firmly aifixed to the frame easily and quickly.

Another object of the invention is to produce a simplified support means for use with a steel frame building wherein the support means forms a part of the decoration and trim of the buildings yet window frames, panels and other components of the building may be directly med to the support means.

A further object of the invention is to design a sill and sash whereby the window frames and panels of a steel frame curtain-wall building may be directly attached to the columns of the building.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent when viewed with regard to the following specification and illustrated embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional elevation view of a single story building structure employing the concepts of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation detail of the roof and upper window sash supporting structure.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation detail of the panel and lower sill supporting structure.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view of a corner construction, and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional plan view taken through a supporting column and affixed window sashes.

Although the principles of the invention may be utilized with any metal frame curtain-wall type building structure the illustrated embodiment is of one story construction of which FIG. 1 discloses a cross-section of the walls and roof. In a school building, for instance, the porch may be supported by a column 10, the front wall by an inner column 12 and the rear wall by a column 14. The building is preferably mounted upon a cement foundation 16 of poured or block construction and the columns -14 bolted to the foundation in the conventional manner.

inasmuch as the columns 10 are used only to support the overhang of the roof to form a porch the columns it may be of cylindrical cross-section and formed of relatively light material, however, as the columns 12 and 14 must support the majority of the building weight and provide the base for the window frames or sashes and panels, a rectangular cross-section is used as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The spacing of the columns 10, 12 and 14 along a wall will vary as to the weight and purpose of the building, however, in a typical school building the columns 12 and 14 would be on five foot centers.

ited rates Patent 0 The column 10 is provided with a plate 18 at the upper end on which the roof supporting beam 29 may be attached. Beam 20 is enclosed by the trim members 22 which are held in position by the blocking 24 which is in turn fastened to the beam by bolts 26. The trim member 28 is afdxed to the lower side of plate 18 to present a uniform and attractive appearance.

As noted in FIG. 2 the detail of the upper inner column 12 consists of a flat plate 39, which is hidden by the overlapping wood member 32, welded to the top of column 12. An angle plate 34 is welded to the underside of plate 39 between adjacent columns and the bolt 36 secures the member 32 to plate 30. The wood trailer 38 fastens the member 32 and permits the trim 4b to be nailed thereto. The roof slabs 42 are supported by the joist 44 which rests upon the plate 3% and extends across the ceiling of the room 46 and is supported on the'other end by the rear wall column 14. Another angle plate 48 is attached to the end of joist i4 and is used to support the Wooden trim member 59 and the bulb T 52 which connects the roof slabs 42 together.

A. similar construction is used at the upper end of columns 14 wherein the joist 44 rests upon a plate fastened to the top of column 14, not shown, and wood member 54 nailer 55 and trim 58 are positioned as the equivalent elements of column 12. The trim 6% may be nailed to the member 54.

The roof slabs 42 are thus supported by the beam 20 and joists 44 and are interlocked by the conventional bulb Ts S2. A gravel and tar coating may be applied to the upper surface of slabs 42 and gravel tops 62 are utilized to enclose the roof deck edge and prevent the gravel from falling from the roof.

The lower window structure is best shown in FIG. 3 and primarly consists of the angle 64 which is welded or otherwise fastened to the inside of the column parallel to the foundation with the legs of the angle extending inwardly and downward. The angle 64 is attached directly to adjacent columns 12 and forms a part of the building trim as well as a major support as will be described. A sash supporting angle 66 is fastened to the upper inner leg of angle 64 in a position to hold the sash 68 firmly against the inner side of column 12.

The panel 79 is also supported by angle 64 and is bolted thereto by fastener 72. The panel 79 extends to the floor of the buildingwhere the baseboard and molding 74 are bolted in place and support the lower edge of the panel. The stiffener 76 is aflixed to the upper edge of panel 70 by the fastener 72 and the upright apron 78 abuts thereto partially enclosing the top of panel 70 and the angles 64, 66. The sill 8% extends under the sash 68 and is affixed to apron 78 to complete the enclosing of the lower sash support.

The upper sash support structure is shown in FIG. 2 and consists of the fastener 82 which holds the sash against the angle 34. The fasteners 82 are operated from the outside of the building by threaded screws 84 to facilitate assembly.

The end walls of the building may consist partly of panels extending the height of the building and the attachment of such a panel is shown in FIG. 4 wherein a typical corner construction is illustrated. The panel 86 may be drilled with a plurality of holes through which the bolts 88 project. The column 12 is formed with the threaded holes 90 into which the bolts 88 are screwed. The resilient insulating strips 92 render the connection between column and panel air and water proof.

The window sash 68 is meld to the column 12 on the sides by the window bolt 94 which extends along the entire vertical section of sash 68 and is fastened to the column 12 by screws 96 threaded into tapped holes therein.

A section of the column 12 and windows is shown in FIG. to illustrate the simplified manner in which the window sashes 68 may be ailixed to the columns by use of a bolt 98 forced against the sashes 68 by screws 100. It will be noted that since the columns 12 and 14 are or" rectangular cross-section having straight sides to which the window sashes and panels may be directly attached a minimum of calking and Weatherstripping is required to weather proof the building.

It will thus be understood that the structure of the invention enables an economical, attractive building to be erected with a minimum of material and skill. By utilizing structural members such as columns 12 and 14 and angle ,4 as part of the building trim clean straight attractive lines are achieved without additional trim members The cross section of window sash used enables the sashes to be directly abutted against the support columns eliminating the conventional molding and the use of simple bolts provides attractive yet efficient means for supporting the sashes.

Although specific examples of construction are illustrated in the drawings the invention is not to be limited thereto and it is understood that other embodiments may be apparent to those versed in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

In a building structure of the curtain wall type, a plurality of spaced vertical columns forming a wall, said columns being of rectangular cross-section having planar sides and a horizontally disposed plate afiixed thereto at the upper end thereof, one of said planar column sides being disposed parallel to the plane of the wall, a lower horizontal angle member affixed to said one planar column sides and interconnecting adjacent columns, said angle member having first and second planar portions relatively disposed at right angles, said first portion being aiiixed to said planar column sides and said second portion extending away from said columns defining a horizontal planar support surface, an upper angle member 7 having first and second planar portions relatively disposed at right angles mixed to the underside of the plates of adjacent columns, the first portion of said upper angle member being located on said plate such that the second portion extends vertically downwardly defining a surface coincident with the plane of said one planar column sides, a third angle member having first and second portions relatively disposed at right angles supported upon the horizontal support surface defined by said lower angle member second portion upon said first third angle portion such that said second third angle portion extends vertically upward defining a horizontal window sash support edge, a Window sash having an outer planar surface on the upper, lower and side portions thereof, said outer surface being defined upon a flange extending from a sash frame, the lower portion of said frame engaging said third angle member support edge whereby the lower sash flange is interposed intermediate said second third angle portion and said one planar column sides maintaining said outer planar side sash surface portions in engagement with said one planar column sides, fastener means mounted on said second planar portions of said upper angle member maintaining the upper planar sash surface portion in direct sealing engagement therewith, sash flange overlapping means mounted on said one planar column sides maintaining the side sash outer planar surface in direct sealing engagement therewith, a panel afixed to said first portion of said horizontal angle member extending vertically therebelow between said columns and apron and sill means afiixed to the upper portion of said panel interiorly enclosing said lower and third angle members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Australia Feb. 4, 1953 

